This branch of the Austrian Hesch family is descended from Johann Hesch and his wife Marya (Schlinz) Hesch, who came to America from Oberschlagles, Bohemia with three sons: Paul, Mathias, and Anton. +++Johann & Marya settled in Buffalo County, Wisconsin but moved to Pierz, Mn in about 1885. .+++Mathias settled in Waumandee, Wisconsin and moved to Pierz in 1911. +++Anton never married but farmed with his dad in Agram Township, where he died in 1911.+++And Paul, my great grandfather, settled five miles away, in Buckman, Minnesota. He died there in 1900.

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Friday, February 24, 2012

Talking with Fran & Bernie in their kitchen last week (while we paged thru the wonderful Pictorial Atlas books), I came across <--this photo. It reminded me of the 1940s era pics I have of a man dressed as a...girl, I think-->. He does look 'family', and his straw bonnet is quite fetching. I'd say the coy pose by the tree speaks of the amount of liquor it took to go out dressed that way, too. I've seen other similar pics too--so, what WERE they doing?

Fran and Bernie said, almost in unison, "It was a mock wedding!" Evidently, one hilarious way to entertain the crowd at a 25th or 50th anniversary celebration was to recruit relatives and friends to cross-dress as members of the original wedding party. Someone would announce who each person was supposed to be as they processed into the hall. Depending on who the announcer was and how much he'd already had to drink, the commentary could turn snide or off-color pretty easily. The danger was part of the fun, I guess.

I know, it seems sorta dumb.......until you think of...oh, say, Mike dressed as a bridesmaid, with massive pillow padding in all the obvious places. O. M. G.